Director - Commercial Development

Thea Energy
Kearny, NJ
Hybrid

Who this role is best for

Geared toward seasoned energy professionals comfortable with strategic partnership building and complex infrastructure financing, with a focus on U.S. power markets and high-stakes negotiations.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with deep energy industry experience and a history of securing long-term PPAs and strategic partnerships
    — “Proven track record of originating and closing long-term PPAs, offtake agreements, or strategic partnerships”
  • Individuals who have managed first-of-a-kind technology projects or large-scale infrastructure development
    — “Experience with complex and capital intensive infrastructure development cycles, ideally including first-of-a-kind technology”
  • Candidates with strong relationships in the utility and industrial energy buyer sectors
    — “Serve as the commercial liaison with utilities and independent power producers, building relationships that support offtake and deployment”

Things to consider

  • The role demands a high level of coordination across legal, regulatory, and financial teams
    — “Comfort interfacing with legal, regulatory, and financial frameworks”
  • Candidates must be prepared to manage and report to multiple stakeholders including investors and the board
    — “Report progress to company stakeholders, leadership, investors, and board”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in structuring and negotiating complex long-term energy contracts
    — “Originate, structure, and negotiate offtake agreements and PPAs with hyperscalers, utilities, and industrial customers”
  • Emphasize ability to manage and de-risk supply chains in high-stakes environments
    — “Build and manage strategic partnerships with OEMs, EPCs, and key vendors, from negotiation through execution, to de-risk the supply chain”
  • Demonstrate expertise in financing capital-intensive infrastructure projects
    — “Develop the contract structures needed to finance a first-of-a-kind fusion power plant”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • execute commercial strategy
  • build and manage strategic partnerships
  • originate, structure, and negotiate offtake agreements
Typical background
10+ years of experience in energy, infrastructure, or deep tech

Skills & requirements

Required

Commercial StrategyStrategic PartnershipsPower OriginationBusiness DevelopmentContract StructuresProject FinanceCommunication

Preferred

First-of-a-kind TechnologyProject Finance Structures

Stack & domain

Commercial StrategyMarket SegmentsStrategic PartnershipsPpasLegal FrameworksProject Finance StructuresCommunicationInterpersonalNegotiationEnergyInfrastructureDeep Tech

About the role

Original posting from Thea Energy via Lever

About Thea Energy: 

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future. 

Key Responsibility Areas::

  • Execute commercial strategy, including target customers, market segments, priority partners for Thea Energy's first power plant and follow-on fleet.
  • Build and manage strategic partnerships with OEMs, EPCs, and key vendors, from negotiation through execution, to de-risk the supply chain and accelerate plant delivery.
  • Originate, structure, and negotiate offtake agreements and PPAs with hyperscalers, utilities, and industrial customers, from LOI through definitive agreement.
  • Serve as the commercial liaison with utilities and independent power producers, building relationships that support offtake and deployment.
  • Develop the contract structures needed to finance a first-of-a-kind fusion power plant.
  • Establish and maintain the commercial pipeline, deal schedule, and key milestones, and report progress to company stakeholders, leadership, investors, and board.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets::

  • 10+ years of experience in energy, infrastructure, or deep tech, including commercial roles such as power origination, business development, or strategic partnerships, with a strong understanding of US power markets.
  • Proven track record of originating and closing long-term PPAs, offtake agreements, or strategic partnerships, with an established network across utilities, hyperscalers, OEMs, and large industrial energy buyers.
  • Comfort interfacing with legal, regulatory, and financial frameworks; able to effectively partner with counsel and finance to navigate term sheets, PPAs, and project finance structures.
  • Experience with complex and capital intensive infrastructure development cycles, ideally including first-of-a-kind technology or a project taken to financial close.
  • Highly structured and process-driven, with a speed and execution mindset and the ability to manage competing priorities across internal teams and external stakeholders.
  • Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, particularly in executive-level and high-stakes negotiation settings.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.
  • Bachelor's degree or greater in a relevant technical, business, or finance field.

Company Benefits::

  • Salary range $180,000 - $260,000
  • Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)
  • Employee equity stock options
  • 20 days PTO

It’s not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.  

Diversity and Inclusion:  

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

Source: Thea Energy careers (Lever)

Similar roles